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Primary sourceSpeech336 CE

Tricennial Oration (In Praise of Constantine)

Eusebius of Caesarea · 336 CE

A speech by the bishop Eusebius of Caesarea celebrating Constantine's thirtieth year as emperor and presenting him as God's chosen ruler.

This speech, delivered for Constantine's 30th anniversary, shaped the image of Constantine as a divinely chosen Christian ruler.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This oration was delivered by Eusebius of Caesarea, a Christian bishop and historian, in 336 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Constantine's reign. It praises the emperor in elevated language, avoiding what Eusebius calls cheap or flattering style.

Why it matters

Eusebius presents Constantine as an earthly reflection of divine order, laying out an influential idea of the Christian emperor ruling as God's representative on earth. Because Eusebius was a bishop who personally supported Constantine's religious policies, the speech is one of the most important sources for how Constantine wanted to be seen—and how Christian writers wanted him seen—after his conversion.

Look closer

  • Why might a bishop have reason to praise the emperor so highly?
  • What does the speech suggest about the relationship between religious and political power in this period?
  • How might this flattering account differ from a more neutral record of Constantine's reign?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Constantine the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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